It’s Called Doubt – Drayton Farley Written By Adam Delahoussaye
Drayton Farley’s always been open and honest about the speedbumps on his journey, but he’s rarely sounded as optimistic as he does here. “It’s Called Doubt,” an anthemic, triumphant windows-down jam, is able to scale the singer’s stories in some pretty grand ways, with the full band backing up the major beats as they soundtrack the struggles he’s recalling here. It’s able to do a little seesawing between the voyage’s obvious lowlights, still accenting them in a way that makes them feel intrinsic to the bigger picture. There’s some desperation in Farley’s rural rasp, crying out, “Is heaven listening?” as the guitar cries out in response to the closing of the chorus. Produced by Sadler Vaden, there are some obvious parallels between a fuller-sounding 400 Unit and the resonant disparity Farley creates between his morbid lyrics and comfortingly fuzzy arrangements. It’s a roll-credits rendition of the Alabama natives’ story so far, a sure shot in the arm that’s reminiscent while still pushing Farley forward both in sound and in spirit.
7.9
Bad As I Do – Jacob Hackworth Written By Joel Reuben Pauley
In his own way, Jacob Hackworth turns utter desperation into something compelling, making it sound raw, urgent, and admirable. With windswept melodies and imagery like “bittersweet bloodshot truth,” his yearning feels lived in rather than imagined. Rather than observing his anguish from a distance, he weaves it directly into the construction of every line. A balance of melancholy and hope makes the buildup engaging and listenable, with sound and message moving in parallel as the story unfolds. With a relaxed, yet fully immersive backing arrangement, the earnest emotion of this track remains front and center, supported rather than overshadowed. Known for writing credits on hits from many of today’s most prominent artists, Hackworth makes an excellent statement for his own artistry, saving some of his strongest material for himself. Noting “nobody wants you as bad as I do,” he lets his longing take over in a direct confession that feels unguarded and irreversible.
8.0
No More Tears – Avery Anna Written By Aishwarya Rajan
Ozzy Osborne’s “No More Tears” has now been reimagined twice in country music this year, but only this latest interpretation has managed to feel both reverent and revelatory. Where Ian Munsick’s live cover leans into country textures through its instrumental DNA, offering a fresh twang-laced flavor to a familiar classic, Anna Avery’s rendition does something far more daring: it preserves the soul of a rock ’n’ roll masterpiece while reshaping its emotional delivery from the inside out. Avery delivers this song powerfully yet tastefully. Her nuanced intonations and subtle phrasing shifts breathe new life into the narrative without compromising its integrity. Where the original unfolds with a flatter, near-monotone repetition, Anna plays with contrast, dancing between homage and reinvention. This is especially striking in lines like “the man in the dark will bring another attack,” where her tonal shift sharpens the tension and pulls listeners in, regardless of genre allegiance. By the time the chorus hits, Avery firmly establishes herself as a vocal force and powerhouse. Her sweet, almost innocent undertones soften the harsher edges of the original’s gritty work. There’s a compelling duality in how her authentically gentle twang weaves itself over a driving backbeat traditionally led by a strong male presence. Where many artists falter as puppeteers when handling a cover, Avery proves herself a master of the strings. Her version stands well alongside the original, perhaps even more palatable to listeners whose ears have grown deafened by the raw beauty of rock and roll.
8.3
You Get What You Give – Keith Urban Written By Jack Humphrey
An innocuous mid-concert singalong becomes a weak bastardization of a classic on Keith Urban’s bizarrely titled HIGH AND A(LIVE) concert LP. Through the first verse, nothing sticks out as especially noteworthy or off-putting, until we arrive at the iconic pre-chorus, where Keith makes a feeble attempt at matching Gregg Alexander’s sky-high falsetto before awkwardly retreating from the mic, and warbling out a few stray notes as his back-up vocalist carries the load. Quick rule of thumb: if you can’t do a song justice, no one will pass judgment if you simply don’t cover it. But that flimsy effort on the song’s most vocally challenging bar isn’t even its lowest moment: as Urban’s version of “You Get What You Give” reaches the end of its runtime, you realize that omits the original song’s signature moment: that goofy spit-fire third verse, where the New Radicals gleefully lambast the most prominent names and headlines of the 1990s, from cloning to Marilyn Manson. Yes, it’s kind of dated and silly, but without that verse, “You Get What You Give” is an underwritten empowerment anthem rather than an enduring cultural fixture. Keith Urban may have some fondness for this one-hit wonder, but with this half-hearted version, you would never know it.
3.7
